Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Sk 77Licking the Hands

THE SCRIPTURE ON LICKING THE HANDS FROM THE VINAYA PIṬAKA

Background

The Hatthanillehaka scripture (Licking the Hands) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha-Dharma, specifically in the Pāṭimokkha, the fundamental code for those gone forth. This scripture was taught by the Buddha to correct an improper behavior of bhikkhus in the community of practice.

The historical background shows that some bhikkhus had the habit of licking their own hands, sometimes to obtain nourishment, sometimes from laziness or from an ordinary worldly habit. This behavior was considered unsuitable to monastic ethics because it expressed passivity, lack of self-mastery, and could defile one’s own hands. When the Buddha learned of the matter, he gave instruction and established a rule to prevent this behavior.

Main Content

The rule on licking the hands forbids bhikkhus to lick the hands or to ask others to lick the hands for them. This is not merely a prohibition concerning hygiene, but a rule with profound ethical education.

According to the Pāṭimokkha, a bhikkhu who violates this rule must incur a disciplinary penalty (dukkaṭa). Depending on the degree of violation and attitude, the penalty may range from public apology to admonition or temporary suspension of the right to attend Sangha meetings.

The text clearly presents that what is unintentional or unconscious is not considered an offense. The focus is the intention to lick the hands deliberately. This reflects a core principle of the Vinaya Piṭaka: judgment based on the intention (cetana) of the action, not merely the outward action.

Practical Meaning

At first glance, the rule on licking the hands may seem trivial, but it contains profound educational meaning. The Hatthanillehaka scripture teaches us that practice concerns not only great actions, but also the small details of daily life.